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Looks like this place had an Illinois Engineering Co. Vapor system

Steamhead
Steamhead Member Posts: 18,050
in Strictly Steam

the abandoned Hotel Sabine, Port Arthur, Texas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuhomZOQY8Y

At 31:46, pause the video, switch to full-screen and look at the left end of the radiator. Isn't that an Illinois outboard trap?

All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,515

    Better eyes than I have, but certainly a trap of some sort there. Wonder why the valve vanished but not the trap?

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 11,264
    Screenshot 2025-10-22 at 10.05.19 AM.png

    This is a symptom of our trade. Always looking at the details of some obscure device that makes the people in that space comfortable.  You just can't help it when watching movies or television programs.  

    Here is an interesting DIY clock thermostat I. found in a home that needed a replacement boiler. I have visions of an article in Popular Mechanics that details how to take your T87F that is already on the wall and make it change temperature setting automatically at preset times of the day. After you position all that mechanical marvel of motors, gears and clocks on your wall, you just build a decorative cover in your wood shop.  

    Screenshot 2025-10-22 at 10.06.29 AM.png


    Screenshot 2025-10-22 at 10.05.46 AM.png Screenshot 2025-10-22 at 10.06.44 AM.png

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    mattmia2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,599

    because 2 thermostats and a relay off the timer would be too simple.

    EdTheHeaterMan
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,828

    At our old shop we had 2 T87s to run the boiler. One was set at 60 degrees and went straight to the boiler. That was the night stat.

    The other T87 set at 70 ran through a time clock to the boiler. I guess they had a old time clock kicking around instead of buying a day/night stat.

    mattmia2
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 18,050
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1868747#Comment_1868747

    Vandals swiped the brass valve, but missed the trap.

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    EBEBRATT-Ed

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